Transcript of news conferences by quarterbacks Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith following the Jets' Wednesday morning training camp practice at SUNY Cortland:
QB MARK SANCHEZ
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On how different Stephen Hill looks this training camp compared to last year…**
He looks good. He looks a little more mature, a little bigger, a little better on his feet. I think he's working hard. I know Sanjay [Lal] is pushing him hard. But he just looks a little more developed, like he's having fun. Things aren't moving quite as fast for him this year, around him I mean, he's moving fast obviously, but around him last year things were just kind of spinning for him. He's really figured things out and understands what camp's like and how tough it is and he's playing well.
On how he felt about practice today…
It was good. I mean, we had some good competition with the defense. I know we had that little move-the-ball period. We got a couple first downs, they stopped us a couple times, we had the fourth-down gotta-have-it period and those are last-play-of-the-game-keep-the-drive-alive kind of things. So I think we got one out of three of those with the first unit so we want to be on the winning edge of that, but come back tomorrow and get them.
On if he ever feels like he has forces against him in the quarterback competition…
Yeah, I mean you just put it out of your head. I mean there's always going to be adversity, there's always going to be things that are working against you and you just fight through them and keep playing, control what you can. You can't worry about other people's opinions and things like that.
On Coach Ryan saying he expects the offense to run more Wildcat…
I mean, he's the head man. He's got the call, so if he thinks it'll work hopefully it's going to work well. I know Coach [David] Lee's passion about it. I know him and Marty [Mornhinweg] have a good thing going there with the Wildcat stuff. They've both run a little bit of that in their past so hopefully it's something that can help the club.
On if he feels comfortable running the Wildcat…
Yeah, it's not that hard. You're just running the ball from the gun.
On if he is worried that Geno Smith has an advantage since he can run the read-option…
I'm sure it's something we can work in, whether I'm playing or Geno's playing. That doesn't really matter. He's very talented when it comes to that stuff. I know he's run some of that in college, so he's got a lot of experience. Like I said, I can't really worry about that.
On if he feels that he can run the read-option…
I mean, if it's fourth-and-3, maybe I can get 3. If it's fourth-and-4, I'll probably get three [laughter], that kind of deal. No, I'm sure I could do it. It's not too bad.
On if he feels like he is the underdog in the quarterback competition…
I don't know. Depends on who you ask I'm sure. I'm not really worried about it.
On how he feels about the quarterback competition…
I feel good. I feel comfortable. My arm feels good. I feel strong. My legs are working. Coach [David] Lee has us conditioning like crazy, so I feel like I'm in good shape. Just keep pushing. Just keep competing and control what I can.
On what areas he feels he has improved in this year…
I think my fundamentals and my footwork with Coach Lee have been, he's just pounding that into your head about your footwork and making sure that'll match up with the timing of these routes. That's a huge emphasis in this system. Your footwork and your resets, your hitches in the pocket should time up with your reads. I think that'll be a little more fluid.
On how you cannot worry about the footwork when you are making the throws…
Exactly. It's a lot like the military. They put you through such stress and pressure, so when you get out into the field and boom you're overseas going from house to house, whatever it is and warfare, you just don't even think. You're like a robot and you know exactly what to do. And then when things come up, you've got to change something.
Marty always tells us, he's like, "I'm going to put you in the right position. If we have 64 plays in a game, I promise you that 60 of them will be perfect and I'll tell you exactly what's going on. I'll put you in the right play, I'll put you in the right situation, but there's going to be a few times, those four plays, that I need you to make the right decision with the ball. That could be run, that could be take a sack, throw it away, whatever it means." But he's like, "I need you to come alive in those situations and be a playmaker." That's nice to hear from your coordinator.
On if there is the opportunity in coordinator Marty Mornhinweg's offense to spread the ball around…
I think it will naturally happen. Marty [Mornhinweg] doesn't make a huge emphasis of spreading it around or say, "Hey let's get this guy the ball or that guy the ball." I'm sure he has that in the back of his mind when he's making his call sheet and stuff and how we want to attack a certain defense or what certain guys bring to the table. But I think naturally that's just going to happen based on the defense we play. It might be Clyde Gates one game, it might be Braylon [Edwards] the next game and then Santonio [Holmes] the next game after that. I don't think he has any problem. He's had a ton of playmakers in the past. In Philly I know for a fact that [Jeremy] Maclin, DeSean Jackson, [Brent] Celek, all those guys got their touches. It should just happen naturally.
On if he feels there is more scrutiny for any mistakes we make…
You know what it's a lot like my rookie year. I was just joking with. [SNY] Jeané Coakley or EA [Jets director internet programming/senior reporter Eric Allen], somebody was talking about it. When everybody from the front office and everybody who works upstairs that you rarely see is out there with their notepads, you know. You're doing warmups or you're throwing pat-and-gos or easy-ups or something. You complete the ball and they're like, "Oh, OK, good, yep, got it. There it is. [Geno] Smith. OK, got it." Every throw, every handoff. You guys, too, but that's your job. It's just funny to see everybody else out there charting stuff. Everything is under scrutiny, there is a ton of pressure, but that's the way you like it. That's why you play the position and it makes it fun.
On if the presence of the front office is something he notices…
No, it's just when you take a step back, you're sipping water and you just give a glance around, it's like, "Doesn't that guy work upstairs? What's he doing out here? [laughter] What's he doing? He'd better watch out or he might get hit by a ball."
On the scrutiny given to statistics and what it means to him…
I mean, at the end of the day, sure, you want your numbers to be high, but there's always specific circumstances that lead to whatever stats are there. You don't want to make excuses but you know exactly why certain things happen the way they do. That's why we watch the film, that's why we meet together. At the end of the day it's the coaches and players that matter the most. No offense to you guys, we've just got to be on top of it ourselves.
On the value the coaches give to statistics…
They give us stats by the end of the week or at the end of a couple practices. They just let you know where you're at. It's good, it's a good measuring stick. You know how you throw and how you feel after practice. Usually, you know how you did anyway. The stats kind of reaffirm that.
On how he is doing in the competition…
I don't know. Ask the coaches. I feel good though. I feel confident and I feel like I'm playing really well.
QB GENO SMITH
On if he wants to be compared to Michael Jordan…
No, you're putting words in my mouth, I said I always idolized Michael. I mean, I'm pretty sure, most kids in my generation have. I just want to try to do some of the things that he has done. From my observation of him he was always the consummate competitor. He held his teammates and himself to a high standard and he carried it every single day and every walk through life. That's kind of what I said, I just wanted to do the same things, I think, you know, that breeds excellence and that helps the team produce great chemistry as well as great competition, helping us all get better.
On how he is doing reading coverages…
I feel pretty good. I have been doing pretty good with that. I haven't put us in any bad spots as far as turning the ball over. I try to keep the ball out of the defense's hands as much as possible and give my teammates an opportunity to make plays on the ball. So I've done pretty good with that so far but we still have many practices ahead and I've got to continue to stay on that and stay disciplined in my reads.
On how difficult it is playing against Coach Ryan's defense…
Oh, he makes it difficult. It's challenging, especially for just a young quarterback. Every single look that I get in practice is very different. One day it's one thing the next day it could be the same look but a completely different defense and a completely different scheme. It takes a lot of film study, and that's something I've been staying on top of. I go in early, I stay late, and I'm just trying to read my keys and get little tips that I can find in that defense to help me out there on the practice field.
On if the amount of fans he has has given him an advantage in the quarterback competition…
No, I don't think so. I appreciate the fans and everyone rooting for me, but it takes a lot of hard work and preparation and that's something I have to do on the practice field. I've got to show my teammates, I've got to prove it to my coaches, Marty [Mornhinweg], Coach [David] Lee, and I've got to do it every single day in order for us to get better and that is something I try to do.
On how he feels physically…
I feel great, I feel strong. My wind's there. I've been running good in practice, getting back to the huddle, spitting the plays out, getting on and off the field so I feel pretty good.
On if he has a reaction to people saying he is out of shape…
I have none. That's his opinion. You know, my coaches are the ones who evaluate me so I haven't heard that from them so I don't have anything to say about that.
On if he thinks he is out of shape…
No, I'm right there. I'm pretty good with it.
On if he thinks Mark Sanchez had a bad day…
I don't evaluate Mark. My job is to be his teammate and to push him on the practice field and to encourage him and that's what I try and do. We all make mistakes and that's why we are out here practicing so we can try and eliminate those mistakes and get better.
On how much better he feels about getting in and out of the huddle and getting the plays out…
I feel a lot better, and that's something that I said way back then would come with repetition. You know, it's just getting more fluent with it, getting more used to it, and guys hearing me saying it over and over again, and they'll get better with hearing me say it. So I think we are all coming together and becoming better in getting on one page together as an offense, but like I said it's something that just has to continue to improve in order for us to reach where we want to reach when the first game comes.
